The Ritual Process: Structure and Anti-Structure

Victor Turner here examines the rituals of the Ndembu in Zambia and develops his concept of Communitas,” which he characterizes as an absolute inter-human relation beyond any form of structure. The Ritual Process has acquired the status of a small classic since first published in 1969. Turner demonstrates how the analysis of ritual behavior and symbolism may be used as a key to understanding social structure and processes. He extends Van Gennep’s notion of the liminal phase” of rites of passage to a more general level, and applies it to gain understanding of a wide range of social phenomena.